Association News

Local Leaders Elected To Serve

Southeastern North Carolina agribusiness leaders were recently elected to fill positions on the Board of Directors of Cape Fear Farm Credit. David Gooden of Bladen County, Gary Hendrix of Hoke County, and Paul Maguire of Cumberland County were elected to serve as Directors for the Association.

Mr. David Gooden is a native of Bladen County. A farmer for 47 years, his operation consists of swine, beef cattle, strawberries, sweet corn, and poultry. In addition, Mr. Gooden was an agriculture teacher for 29 years. He has been a Farm Credit member for 40 years during which he has served as a director for 7 years. He also serves on the Bladen County Livestock Association and as a Bladen County Board of Commissioners.

Mr. Gary Hendrix is a lifelong resident of Hoke County. He has farmed all of his adult life, and his operation consists of row crops, corn, cotton, peanuts, soybeans, wheat, and timber. Mr. Hendrix has been a Farm Credit member for 36 years during which he has served as a director for 10 years. He also serves as a director for the NC Soybean Association and for Hoke County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Mr. Paul Maguire is a resident of Cumberland County where he has been farming for 30 years. His operation consists of poultry, cattle, hay and timber. He has been a Farm Credit member for nine years during which he has served as a director for three years. Mr. Maguire also serves on the Cumberland County Livestock Association and the Cumberland County Extension Advisory Board. He is a member and deacon of Beaver Dam Baptist Church.

The membership also elected voting stockholders to serve on the 2019 Nominating Committee. Elected to represent Region One which includes Duplin, Pender, Bladen, Brunswick and New Hanover Counties is Steven Smith and Travis Walters from Bladenboro, NC. Elected to represent Region Two which is Sampson and Harnett Counties is David Bruce Hudson of Dunn, NC and James Lamb of Clinton, NC. Elected to represent Region Three which includes Cumberland, Columbus, Scotland, Robeson and Hoke Counties is Willis Bill Edmund of Chadbourn, NC and John Mark Roberts of Lumberton, NC.

Cape Fear Farm Credit Welcomes New Team Members

Dedicated to agriculture and to our customer-owners, Cape Fear Farm Credit welcomes Kaleb Sargent and Kelly Foy to the team.

Kaleb Sargent is a Loan Officer in Elizabethtown, NC. With a Bachelor’s degree from NC State in Agricultural Business Management and Animal Science, Sargent is looking forward to supporting individuals within the local community that share a passion for agriculture. Born and raised in Sampson County, Sargent has worked in other agricultural sectors including swine and poultry.

Kelly Foy is a Loan Assistant in Burgaw, NC. Growing up in Wallace, NC, Foy is looking forward to bringing her detail-oriented and hospitality nature to serve Cape Fear’s customer-owners.

Both Sargent and Foy are honored to be a part of Cape Fear Farm Credit and to support our customer-owners as their agricultural lender.

Innovative Young Farmer Award

FAYETTEVILLE, NC – The Farm Credit Associations of NC announce Justin and Holly Miller as the recipients of the 2018 Innovative Farmer of the Year Award presented at The Tobacco Farm Life Museum’s breakfast with the commissioner.

Justin and Holly both grew up on family farms, and Justin continued to farm traditional row crops until about 6 years ago when the couple began looking for ways to transition to more lucrative horticultural crops.

“In the last six years, we’ve taken a 5th generation family farm that has not been used for anything other than grazing cattle and small grain production for the past two generations and transitioned it into a profitable produce farm. Significant expansion has occurred in the past two years, and we have a great opportunity to continue that growth.” – Justin Miller

In addition to their work on the farm, the Millers are generous within their community. Reaching out to others less fortunate with their donations of fruits and vegetables to local food pantries and churches. They work to provide workshops for youth and adults to enhance understanding of the sources of food, and spend time mentoring other farmers.

The CEOs of AgCarolina Farm Credit, Cape Fear Farm Credit, and Carolina Farm Credit are Dave Corum, Brad Cornelius, and Vance Dalton respectively. They issued the following joint statement regarding the Millers: “It is an honor to be able to recognize Justin and Holly as the 2018 Innovative Young Farmers of the Year. We admire the leadership and value-based approach they take with their family, in their roles as professionals in the field of agriculture, and as they make a positive impact on their community. We congratulate the Millers for this award and look forward to their achievements in the future.”

Patronage Announcement

Cape Fear Farm Credit announces a $15 million cash patronage to be distributed back to their customer-owners. The Association has paid over $240 million dollars in patronage to their customer-owners over the past 30 consecutive years.

A patronage refund is a way of distributing the Association’s profits to its customer-owners. This year’s $15 million patronage is the largest dollar amount patronage distribution in a 30 year history, which will effectively reduce the average interest rate paid by their borrowers by 1.82 percent.

Returning a patronage refund is evidence of Cape Fear Farm Credit’s commitment to their customer-owners and the cooperative principles, which make Farm Credit the most reliable and trusted agricultural lender in the area. The Board and management are committed to keeping the Association financially strong to continue to serve all of agriculture for future generations.

Click below to view the Board of Director's Patronage Announcement.

Agfirst District Retiree Association Website

The AgFirst District Retiree Association has developed a brand new website and launched a new Retiree Facebook page. This is open to all Association retirees within the AgFirst district.

If you are not already a member, to join, go to www.agfirstretireeassociation.org where you can download an application or complete it online. The website will generate immediate responses and is leaps and bounds superior to the old website. We encourage all retirees to use this page to help stay connected to each other. Your pictures and posts will help make someone's day...so post away!!

Edwards Earns Highest Professional Status

Cape Fear Farm Credit’s Matthew Edwards has been awarded the Accredited Rural Appraiser (ARA) designation from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers® (ASFMRA®).

Edwards earned the ARA designation by meeting stringent requirements in experience and education, in addition to passing rigorous written examination and abiding by the American Society's Code of Ethics. Edwards joins a select 45 percent of the ASFMRA membership who have received the Accredited status and currently maintain it through the ASFMRA continuing education program.

Accredited Rural Appraisers understand the changing face of the appraisal industry and can ensure that an appraisal complies with regulations and requirements. They possess additional expertise exceeding nearly all state certification and licensing requirements. In addition, an Accredited Rural Appraiser is connected to a national network of professional resource information.

About American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers®
The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers® (ASFMRA®) is the largest professional society for rural property land experts, boasting over 2100 members in 31 chapters throughout the United States. ASFMRA truly represents The Most Trusted Rural Property Professionals and is the organization for individuals who provide management, consultation, and valuation services, as well as real estate services on rural and agricultural assets. The land experts who hold membership in ASFMRA work under a professional code of ethics, which includes continuing education requirements. You can rest assured that if you’re working with someone who is an accredited member of the Society, you are truly working with a competent land expert and agricultural professional who can assist you with all of your property, land and asset needs.

2018 Annual Stockholders' Meeting of Cape Fear Farm Credit

Cape Fear Farm Credit’s Annual Stockholders Meeting will be held on February 15, 2018 at the Sampson Agri-Expo Center. For more details and to RSVP, please review the Annual Meeting Information Statement.

Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina at the Southern Farm Show

FAYETTEVILLE, NC – The Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina will be one of over 400 exhibitors at this year’s Southern Farm Show, which is being held January 31 – February 2, at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.

Farm Credit will be sponsoring many activities during the three day event. Farm Show attendees will have the chance to register for a special $300 prize by wearing a Farm Credit hat and stopping by the booth in the Jim Graham Building. The first 100 people each day to come by the Farm Credit booth wearing a Farm Credit hat will also receive a free Farmer Strong hat.

The Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina will be hosting the musical talents of the Brothers n’ Bluegrass in the Jim Graham Building three times each day of the Farm Show. An interactive photo booth will be set up for attendees at the Farm Credit booth, as well as the opportunity for visitors of the booth to register for a daily $100 Visa gift card giveaway.

About Cape Fear Farm Credit
Cape Fear Farm Credit is an agricultural lending cooperative owned by its member-borrowers. It provides loans for land, equipment, livestock and production as well as rural home mortgages and rural living. Cape Fear Farm Credit has branches serving Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Hoke, New Hanover, Pender, Robeson, Sampson, and Scotland counties. It is part of the national Farm Credit System, a network of financial cooperatives established in 1916 to provide a dependable source of credit to farmers and rural America. To locate a branch near you, visit www.capefearfarmcredit.com or call 1.800.368.5819

For 100 years Farm Credit has been supporting rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services.

Cape Fear Farm Credit Welcomes Martin Jackson

CLINTON, NC – Cape Fear Farm Credit welcomes Martin Jackson to the team as a Special Asset Loan Officer. With an undergrad degree from NC State, MBA from Methodist University, and previous experience in banking and finance, Jackson has desired a career in agricultural lending.

Born and raised in the Clement community in Sampson County, Jackson grew up on his family’s farm land. He and his wife McKenzie, from Wallace, NC, both have a strong connection to agriculture and own poultry houses of their own. They reside near their family farm land with their two children, Fuller and Campbell.

Jackson is honored to be a part of Cape Fear Farm Credit and to have the opportunity to assist those within agriculture, and their families, achieve their goals and dreams.

A donation of $103,000 will be split evenly between North Carolina 4-H and FFA from the Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina. Funds were raised in conjunction with the three Pull for Youth sporting clays events held across North Carolina with over 350 shooting participants and 150 volunteers.

Over 150 businesses and organizations contributed to the pool of funds, including statewide $5,000 sponsors – American Forest Management, Hog Slat, House of Raeford - and the three Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina.

“The Pull for Youth sporting clays shoots across our state have been an overwhelming success,” said the three Association CEOs in a joint statement. “The response by those who participated, volunteered, and donated to the cause are a clear indicator that agriculture will remain the leading industry in our state. By providing funds to NC 4-H and FFA, the Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina and our Pull for Youth sponsors are working together to make sure tomorrow’s leaders in agriculture have a bright future. We are thankful for all of those who played a part in the success of Pull for Youth and we look forward to another great year in 2018.”

The Farm Credit Associations of NC are AgCarolina Farm Credit, Cape Fear Farm Credit, and Carolina Farm Credit. They are farmer owned financial cooperatives with headquarters in Raleigh, Fayetteville, and Statesville respectively. They are the leading provider of credit to farmers in North Carolina. The Associations have over $3.5 billion in loans and commitments outstanding to over 14,500 North Carolina farmers. Loans are made to finance land, homes, farm buildings, operating expenses, livestock and equipment, as well as other purposes. Credit life insurance, crop insurance, appraisal services, and leasing are also available through the Farm Credit Associations of NC.

Farm Credit Associations of NC Donate to Hurricane Relief

FAYETTEVILLE, NC – Ag Carolina Farm Credit, Cape Fear Farm Credit, and Carolina Farm credit are proud to announce the donation of $26,000 from employees and directors for Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma relief efforts. Farm Credit matched the employee funds for a total of $52,000.

Fundraisers were available to employees and directors during the fourth quarter of 2017 with the proceeds being donated to the Hurricane Relief efforts. Farm Credit matched each employee’s contributions for a total of $52,000.

The funds were sent to Samaritan’s Purse to be distributed as necessary. Samaritan’s Purse set up five disaster relief units in Texas to equip staff and volunteers as they served residents
recovering from Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath. Samaritan’s Purse delivered critically needed supplies to storm survivors and affected families of Hurricane Irma.

"Samaritan's Purse is grateful for Farm Credit and their employees who've made a very generous gift in support of our work responding to the recent hurricanes that have affected Texas, Florida and the Caribbean. Our work is intense and important. Having Farm Credit, come along side of us by supporting our work and the victims of these storms financially is a huge blessing to the people and communities affected. We thank the Lord for you all." – Jim Loscheider, Vice President Donor Ministries

Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma impacted many of the people, highways, homes, businesses, and farming operations throughout the southern part of the United States, especially Texas and Florida. Farm Credit serves many of the areas affected by the disaster. The mission of the Farm Credit System is to be there for the agricultural and rural communities through good times and bad.

New Temporary Dunn Location

We are excited to announce that we are remodeling our office in Dunn, located at 400 W. Broad Street, to better serve our customers. Effective October 10, 2017, we will be serving our customers from a nearby temporary location,